Mar 17

Psalm 1:1-2
Memorise James 1:25
“…his delight is in the law of the LORD…”

Psalm 1:2 introduces us to one of the means of grace – the law of the LORD. It tells us that the one who delights in and meditates upon it is blessed. What is a means of grace? A means of grace is simply an instrument that God uses to dispense His blessings. The means of grace we are familiar with in Reformed Theology are the Word of God, sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s Supper) and prayer.

Why are these considered the means of grace? Psalm 1:1-2 shows us that delighting in God’s Word and meditating on it will help us to lead a holy life that is pleasing before God.

Baptism is the sacrament that God used to replace physical circumcision – it is a public confession of our inward faith. By being baptised, we are obeying God’s Word and also showing our desire to be identified with Christ and the church, and to claim the blessings that God has reserved for His children.

When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded of our sinfulness, and are called to examine ourselves of any sins and to deal with them before we partake of the bread and the cup.

Prayer is also a means of grace because we can only pray to God if we do not have any sins that have not been dealt with, and coming to God in prayer requires us to confess all our sins. We also know from God’s Word that He will only answer our prayers if they are according to His will – therefore, prayer helps us align our own desires with God’s desires.

The means of grace are meant to help us in our spiritual walk. We must approach them in the proper manner, and use them to examine our lives and determine whether or not we have been living in accordance to God’s Word. It helps us to see where we have sinned, and leads us into a closer walk with God.

Thought: Am I enjoying all the blessings that God has prepared for me through these means of grace?
Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to live for Thee, and help me to claim the blessings Thou hast prepared for Thy children.